The Rune
by OceFossa
Summary: Hobbit/Time Quintet Crossover: "At Dale in this fateful hour, I place all Heaven with its power...Between myself and the powers of darkness." (Hiatus)
1. Chapter 1

**The Rune**

By SessouFelidae

* * *

Middle Earth © J.R.R. Tolkien

Time Quintet © Madeline L'Engle

* * *

"At Tara in this fateful hour,

I place all Heaven with its power,  
And the sun with its brightness,  
And the snow with its whiteness,  
And the fire with all the strength it hath,  
And the lightning with its rapid wrath,  
And the wind with its swiftness along its path,  
And the sea with its deepness,  
And the rocks with their steepness,  
And the Earth with its starkness  
All these I place  
By God's almighty help and grace

Between myself and the powers of darkness."

 _ **-St. Patrick's Rune Adapted by Madeleine L'Engle-**_

* * *

Prologue: In this fateful hour…

* * *

The sky darkened in anticipation of the dark forces arrival. The mishmash of races arrayed against shifted uneasily under the strife between themselves and the tension of the oncoming enemy. The three armies stood at a standstill as the argument of gold and recompense came between them, even as Gandalf the Gray exercised his influence to focus the intent of the meeting back to the defense of the north and the survival of the free peoples therein still.

The Dwarves arrived in both answer to their kin and the promise of wealth. The Elves came to recover their recompense. And finally the men of Esgaroth. The lake town survivors simply caught in the middle and trying to survive. Victims of the first two race's grievances and innocent of all wrongs in this regard and yet drawn into this conflict still.

The lone hobbit of the gathering paused, taking each of the leaders assembled there. Seemingly as if they all sensed his gaze the talk quieted and they all looked to him in question. Bilbo swallowed before coming to his decision. He was his own master who had neither king nor lord. And because he swore no oaths to no kings, he was free to choose. But why did it seem so heavy?

"To the truest of all races here gathered and to the purpose and benefit of all I will choose." Bilbo paused looking over each races, fair, ruddy, first born, adopted, and last alike before his once open, cheerful features somberly weighing the gathered beings before turning towards the least of them. His voice firm and regal, both young and old, and very much out of place on such a small peaceful creature. "I will stand with the men."

The somber bowman bowed to the smallest of the company and the most puzzling of them all. However the smallest of those gathered seemed to grow inexorably as he took his place beside the dragon slayer.

"I will stand with Bard." With a small nod to Gandalf and the Bowman he exited.

Bilbo then left the tent, making his way towards the mannish camps, ever faithful Ananda trailing on his heels. Stares followed after the small hobbit. Come morning, if it ever came, he needed to be ready.

Shadows dogged his steps and in his ears the wind whispered, _"In this fateful hour…"_

* * *

 _To Be Continued…_

* * *

A/N: Let's experiment shall we?

This is something...new.

 _-The Honorable Cat-_

4/14/2015


	2. At Ea In This Fateful Hour

**The Rune**

By

SessouFelidae

…  
Middle Earth © J.R.R. Tolkien

Time Quintet © Madeline L'Engle

* * *

Chapter 1: "At Eä, In this fateful hour…"

* * *

The sitting room of Bag End shone bright and warm as the sunlight filtered through the window. The cheery comfort that seemed to glow from the very walls of the inviting room gave a feel of home and hearth at its finest.

Bilbo Baggins, the owner of the smial, felt completely content. The warm feeling and the complete peace that seemed to permeate the Shire where he lived left him with a sense that all was right in the world.

A shadow abruptly covered the windows, choking out the light, and a stench of decay seemed to waft through the room. Bilbo blinked once, then twice. Had that really just happened?

Regardless the peaceful feelings were placed with a sense of alarm as well as a bone deep need to run. Flee to safety. Escape the shadow.

It wasn't safe.

The master of Bag End did none of these. The practical Baggins side asserted itself. _It was only a cloud passing over the sun. Nothing more. This is the Shire after all, nonesuch fanciful stories that he loved as a child ever happened fact he might have just been daydreaming. It wasn't that surprising after all._

 _Still_ , something in Bilbo doubtfully whispered, _there was something just...unnatural about the event._ He felt the disturbing memories of the dark winter. The Fell Winter. A time when true darkness seemed to stretch out its hand and touch the Shire.

Before he could wander down darker roads and allow his imagination to takeover, loud barking broke Bilbo of his distracted state and memories. THe respectable hobbit shook his head. Too long had he dwelt on the 'Maybe's' and 'Could Have Been's' of years past. Of dreams of adventures, heroic acts and his loving parents.

And the fact he hid from the world at large becaue it ws safer and far, _far_ more predictable. Hobbiton and the Shire hadn't changed in many a year and mliek the nature of most of its inhabitants, it probalbly never would.

Bilbo looked to his clock and almost fell over in shock. _'My goodness where had the time gone? And what was that confounded racket?'_

And then it the barking stopped.

* * *

 _To Be Continued…_

…

A/N: Let's experiment shall we?

4/14/2015, 6/14/15


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